Extension-table



(N0 ModeL) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

A. E. FRENCH.

EXTENSION TABLE.

Patented June 16, 1885.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A. E. FRENCH.

EXTENSION TABLE.

Patented June 16, 1885.

BY 77mm ATTORNEYS.

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ALBERT E. FRENCH, OF EAST TAVVAS, MICHIGAN.

EXTENSION-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,12 dated June16,1885.

(No model.)

To. all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. FRENCH, of East Tawas, in the county ofIosco and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Extension-Tables, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming partof this specification.

This invention relates to extensiontables which are provided withfolding websections for forming the top of the table; and the inventionconsists of the novel construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of myimproved eX- tension-table, the same being partly extended. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the table with the top or leaf sections removed, the samebeing partly in section and partly extended. Fig. 3 is a partial bottomview of the same partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a partial plan viewclosed up, and Fig. 5 is a'detail view enlarged. Fig. 6 is across-section on linear m, Fig. 2.

The table is formed with a stationary middle part, A, having a centralleg, B, and extensible end parts, 0 0, having legs D D,

pockets E, and folding hinged leaves F. The

legs D D of each end part, 0, are connected together by a cross-beam, G,which is provided with two parallel extension-arms, H, which slide inways formed in the middle part, A. The under surfaces of the arms H areprovided with rack-bars I, which engage with pinions J K, secured to ashaft, L, arranged transversely in the part A. The pinions J of the twoshafts L are made of sufficient length to extend from their appropriaterack-bars-I to the intermediate space between said rackbars, where theyengage with each other. The said pinions J are thus adapted both toconnect the shafts L L together, so that they may be rotated in oppositedirections by a key or crank applied to one of the shafts, and to engageand operate the two parallel arms H by means of the rack-bars I. Thepinions K do not gear with each other, but are set to engage theirappropriate rackbars I only. Each arm H slides in a separate way, I, thetwo ways I at each side of the table being separated from each other bythe partition M, which serves to add strength to the middle part, A, asis needed in a long extension-table. Each of the ways in middle part, A,for nearly one-half its length, is made of double the width of itsremaining portion, to form a recess, N, Fig. 2, for'receiving abevel-ended section, H, of the arm H, which section is adapted to beshifted to one side into said recess N, to allow the main part of arm H,which also is beveled at one end, to be moved in alongside of the samein shortening up the ta ble, and to be drawn out of said recess intoalignment with the main section in lengthening out the table.

In' order to give the section H the abovedeseribed action, a hookedlever, O, is pivoted in a recess, P, at one side of and communicatingwith the way in part A, and the short end of the lever is formed withtwo projections, Q R, arranged in parallel planes and set at an obtuseangle with each other. The hooked end of the lever extends forward ashort distance into the recess N, while the projections Q R extendtoward the way at its narrower portion and engage with the main sectionof the arm H by means of recesses S T formed in the adjacent side ofsaid section. These recesses consist of two grooves beginning atopposite points, one above the other, near the inner end of the mainsection of arm H, and extend ing in opposite directions on parallellines. The ends of the grooves nearest to each other are formed withinclines U, sloping in opposite directions, which inclines serve as camsfor oscillating the lever O by means of the projections Q R, and therebycausing the hooked end of the lever to move the section H laterally bymeans of a stationary catch, V, on the said section. The inclines U areso lo cated that as the main section of H is drawn out from the widerportion of the way the proj ection Q will be moved out of said way,causing the hooked end of the lever to press the section H out of therecess N into alignment with the main section and into engagement with arigid hook, \V, projecting inward from the opposite side of the mainsection from the inclines U. The hook N is arranged to engage with arecess, Y, in the side of section II adj acent thereto, and the lever Ois held against the section H by the contact of said section with theprojection Q. As the section continues tobedrawn out the projection Rand hooked end of lever O are accommodated in a groove, Z, in the saidsection H, the projection Q fitting against the side of said sectionabove the groove Z to hold said parts in said relation. As the sectionalarm H is pushed inward again, as soon as the section H is broughtalongside of the recess N the inclines U on the main section will be inposition for the one in groove S to bear against the projection R of thelever O, and cause said lever to swing back toward the said recess N,drawing the end of section H with it out of align- -ment with the mainsection and allowing the said main section to pass in behind saidsection H and press it completely into recess N as the table continuesto be shortened up.

The partition M is formed with a longitudinal groove, A, and alongitudinal rib, B, on opposite sides thereof,with which acorresponding groove and rib on the two sectional arms H at either sideof the table, respectively, engage to prevent said arms from beingdisengaged from the ways by any accidental lifting of either end part 0.i The above description of the arm H and its operation applies to eachof the four arms H, and the arrangement of two arms H at one side of thetable as described is simply du-' plicated on the opposite side of thetable.

The cross bars or beams G are provided with recesses O, foraccommodating the pro-' jecting ends of the sections of arm H when thetable is folded. The outer ends of the main sections are provided withfriction-rollers D for the purpose hereinafter described.

On top of the middle part, A, of the table is secured a broad leaf, E,to each end of which is attached a web leaf-section consist ing ofnarrow boards G, connected together by flexible strips H Theseweb-sections are adapted to fold into the pooketsE of each end part 0 asthe table is shortened up. To adapt the boards G to fold right and leftalternately as they descend by gravity into the pockets, the connectingstrips H are run through oblique transverse mortises in the boards,whereby the adjacent edges of the boards are eonnected together at thetop and bottom alter-;

5o natel y. This means of connecting the boards;

enables themto be moved in and out with less friction than is incidentto the use of ordinary metal hinges for such purpose, besides avoidingthe objectionable feature of the projection of the joints of such hingesabove the surface of the boards when the table is extended.

The friction-rollers D support the web-sections out of contact with thecross-beams G as they descend into the pockets. The pockets are eachformed of two castings, K, which are bolted to opposite sides of an end'part 0, and are provided with a continuous flange, L, turned inwardtoward one of the web-sections and adapted to receive and support theends thereof. The bottoms of the pockets are to be made of a widthcorresponding to the breadth of the boards G, while their upper partsare to be made somewhat wider, as shown.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with the middle part, A, havingguideways or passages, and the end parts, 0 O, of the extensible orsliding arms, each formed of two separate sections having catches forconnecting them, whereby said sec tions are aligned when the table isextended, but are disconnected and one of them forced laterally when thetable is contracted, substant-ially as shown and described.

I 2. Th'e'combination of the part A, having ways with lateral recess N,the extensible arms H, provided with grooves S T, separated by inclineU, a separate sliding section, H, having groove Z, catch V, and recessY, and the hooked levers O,'pivoted in a recess at one side of said waysand having projections Q R, adapted to be engaged in turn by saidinclines for the purpose of oscillating the lever and causing its hookedend to shift the section H by means of the catch V, substantially asshown and described.

3. The web leaf-section formed of boards G, having oblique transverseinortises, and the flexible connecting strips H passed through saidmortises, substantially as shown and described.

ALBERT n. FRENCH.

Witnesses:

J. HENRY SoHMEcK, MARY F. SoHMEcK.

